Dishwasher



Aug. l6, 1938, w. R. WALKER DISHWASHER Filed 00 17, 1935 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES "PATE T OFFICE" msnwasnsa' Wlllard E. Walker, Syracuse, N. Y. Application October 17, 1935, Serial No.-45,439

z Claims. (01. 141-9) I This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in dish washing machines and pertains more particularly to a device tor supplying cleansing solution to the washing fluid cithe machine and to the control therefor.

In conventional dish washing machines for such as dishes, drinking glasses, silver-ware or,

the like are stacked in suitable trays and the loaded trays are conveyed through the washing machine from one chamber to the other and subjected to a washing spray in the flrst chamber and to a rinsing'spray in the second chamber to effect the washing or cleansing thereof. 'Ihe rinsing fluid as water is supplied to the rinsin! spray in a pure or clean heated condition. After the rinsing fluid is passed over the articles to be cleansed it is collected in thewashing fluid vat which in turn is provided with an over-flow pipe adapted to maintain a' predetermined quantity of the fluid therein.

The washing fluid is supplied by a pump or other suitable means from the washing fluid vat to the washing spray and after it passes irom the spray over the dishes or other articles. it is again returned to the vat and in order that this washing fluid may be eflective a quantity oi a suitable solvent or cleansing agent is added at intervals to the washing fluid. 'Ihe quantity of the cleansing agent and the frequency of the application of the same to the washing fluid has often, heretofore, been dependent upon the judgment or opinion of the operator. When the cleansing a ent is thus supplied the application thereot to the 40 washing fluid has been at irregular intervals, the

quantity was greatly in excess of the requirements and, therefore, this method has resulted in a very inemcient washing fluid and hasproven decidedly wasteful.

5 The main object 01' this invention is to provide a dish washing machine having washing and rinsing chambers with means for automatically supplying a solvent or cleansing agent to the washing fluid at predetermined periods of operaso tion. Another object of the invention is to provide a cleansing agent supply means for the washing fluid of a machine for washing dishes or the like with, means whereby a predetermined Quantity 5g '0! the cleansing agent will be suppiied;

Further objects reside in providing a device for automatically supplying a cleansing agent to the washing'fluid of a dish washing machine or the like which is simple, durable'and economical in construction and positive and accurate in opera- 5 tion. e

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the structure oi the device andto the form and relation of the parts thereof will more fully appear from the following description taken injcon- 10 nection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional dish washing machine with my novel cleansing agent supply means operatively associated there- 15 with and illustrating a portion 0! the dish washer broken away to better illustrate the parts contained therein.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the cleansing agentsupply tank and the 20 meter valve associated therewith taken substantially-in the plane of the line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the metering valve and the adjacent portion or the supply tank together with the adjacent portion of 25 the gauge for determining the amount 0! cleansing agent contained in the supply tank.

' Figure 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure2. v

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially 30 online S5, Figure 1, illustrating my novel operating valve in elevation, portions oi said valve being broken away.

I Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through the 7 operating valve taken substantially on line H, 35 Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of co-acting cam members for eflectingthe-opening and closing of the operating valve. v

It will be readily understood that there are nu- 4 *merous diflerent designs of washing machines wherein the articles to be washed are first subjected to the action of the washing fluid after which they are treated by a rinsing fluid. and although my novel device for supplying a cleansing agent to. the washing fluid is equally adapted to be used in connection with} washing machines of dlflerentconstructions, I have chosen a welllrnown simply constructed typeotdish washing -machine tor illustrating the application of my device to a washing machine. 7

The dish washing machine as illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a case i open at both ends and having therein a" washing chamber 2, and a rinsing chamber 3 which may be divided by a suitable wall as I composed of either metal or of fabric or the like and which extends transversely of the case and is adapted to permit the articles to be cleansed to pass from one chamber to the other. To the lower portion of the case I is securedya vat I. which extends longitudinally of the case beneath the chambers 2 and I and has the upper side thereof open and in communication with said chambers.

The case I is further provided with a pair of spray nozzles or manifolds as I and I arranged in the upper portion of a respective chamber for supplying respectively a washing fluid and a rinsing fluid to the articles to be washed. Rinsing fluid may be supplied to one qgthese spray nozzles as I by any suitable means and from any suitable source not shown, in a manner which will be clearly understood by-t'hose skilled in the art. The washing fluid is supplied to the other nozzle I in this instance by means of a pump II having the inlet opening thereof in communication with the interior of the vat I while the discharge opening of said pump is. connected with the nozzle I in any suitable manner as by a conduit II. The

pump II is driven by an electric motor l2 operatively connected therewith. The motor I2 and pump II are mounted in the usual manner outside the washing and rinsing chambers upon a base II' which may be supportably connected in any suitable manner to the case I.

In dish washing machines of this type the articles as china-ware, silver-ware and glass-ware are usually stacked in suitable baskets or trays as I I and these loaded trays are conveyed through the case I from the washing chamber to the rinsingchamber and for this purpose I have shown a pair of opposed guide tracks II secured to the case I. guide tracks are arranged in parallel spaced relation over the vat I and in this in- I stance the trays II are manually moved along said tracks from one chamber to the other.

In operation the pump II iscontinuously 'oper-- ated bythe motor I2 for pumping the washing fluid from the vat I to the spray nozzle -I where it is discharged over the articles to be washed and the tray containing them and then the washing fluid returns to the vat I to be re circulated. As the loaded tray II is moved from the washing chamber 2 into the rinsing chamber I. said tray comes ;into contact with an operating lever II provided on a control valve "connected in the supply line for the spray nozzle I. As the tray thus engages the lever I I the valve II is opened for automatically: supplying the rinsing fluid which preferably consists of clean water heated to a high degree oi temperature to the spray nozzle I. As the rinsing fluid escapes from the nozzle it passes over the contents of the basket and is deposited into the vat I for replenishing the washing fluid contained in said vat. A predetermined quantity of washing fluid is contained in the vat by means of an over-flow pipe 2| which is preferably connected with the vat beneath the washing chamber 2, or in other words, in spaced relation to the source of supply for said washing fluid.

. It will thus-be seen that as fluid. 'as water, is added to the washing fluid during the rinsing, operation, a corresponding quantity of the washing together with any cleansing agent which may be to the washing fluid to maintain the same at a given standard for ei'iicaciously loosening and rewill escape through the over-flow pipe 2I,

' Figure 1. This tank is preferably composed of sheet copper or other non-corrosive material and has the upper side thereof provided with an inlet opening 26 which is closed by a cover 21 removably mounted on the tank. The bottom as 28 of the tank preferably slopes from one end thereof toward the other end which is provided with an outlet opening 28in close proximity to the bottom 2I. The supply tank .25 is divided by a partition II which extends transversely across the tank parallel with the end 31 of the tank containing the outlet opening 28 to form a relatively large supply chamber" and a relatiyely small outlet chamber I3. v V

The lower'end oi the partition II terminates at short, distance from the bottom 2I to form a passage II connecting the supply chamber with the outlet chamber and; this passage may as shown,

be covered by a suitable screen II for preventing undissolved portions of-the cleaning agent from passing from the supbli chamber.

A metering valve IIji's secured in any suitable manner to the end II tithe supply tank in communication with the outlet opening 2I as by a nut II. This metering valveas shown in the drawing comprises avalve seat formed in the passage which engage in a corresponding internally threaded plug or cap II mounted in the valve case II at one side of the passage II. The valve stem I2 extends outwardly through the plug and through a stumng box as II provided in the outer end of the plug and has the outer end thereof flattened as at I1 to provide a convenient means by which the valve may be manipulated by a key indicated at II Figure I, which maybe removably connected'to the valve stem.

To the outer end of the plug II is secured in any suitable manner as by the 'stufllng box nut II -a cup-shaped housing II which in this instance has the outer end portion thereof open and provided with a cap II screw threaded thereon, said cap being provided with a hollow boss I2 adapted to receive the outer end of the valve stem I2 thereon as shown in Figure 4 and connected with the marginal portion of the cap II by a plurality of, in this instance, three radially disposed arms I3 which provide a corresponding number of sight openings I3 through which the interior of the housing II may be observed. V

Within the housing II, asshown in Figure 4, is mounted an index plate or disk II composed of thin sheet metal, paper or-the like. The index plate II may be secured in any suitable manner as by glue to the inner end wall of the housing and is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced indicia II by which the position of the valve Il may be determined, said valve being provided with a pointer II secured in any suitable manner to the valve stem I2 adjacent the nut II for co-acting with the indicia on the index plate II.

As shownin the drawing the metering valve 31 75" has connected thereto a contents gauge 58 which in this instance, comprises a tubular metal case 59 secured to the valve case and which contains a glass tube 66 which has the lower end thereof in communication with the passage 46 of the valve between the inlet opening thereof and the valve seat 39. The tubular case 59 is provided with a longitudinal slot in one side thereof for expodng the adjacent portion of the glass tube-66, and said tube is provided with the usual marks or indicia 60' arranged in longitudinal'spaced relation to be observed through the slot; It will thus be understood that the solution contained in the supply tank may flow upwardly into the tube 66 and the contents of the tank be readily determined without the necessity of removing the cover 21. g

The outlet of the passage 46 of the metering valve 31 is connected with the interior of the vat" 5 by means ofa pipe'or conduit 62 which extends downwardly through the upper wall of the case I through the rinsing chamber 3 at one side thereof and has the lower end extended through the vattherethrough. A disk valve 68 is mounted in an upwardly projecting hollow boss 69 formed integral with the valve case for axial movement into and" out of engagement with the valve seat 66. The valve 68 is normally urgedvinto engagement *with the seat 66 by a spring I6 also mounted in v the boss 69 between a washer H secured to the lower end of the valve stem 12 adjacent the valve 68 and guide member 13 mounted at the upper end of the boss 69. This guide 13 has the lower portion thereof provided with a stumng box 13' and is secured to the boss 69 by a cap 14 which is screw threaded at its lower end to the boss 69 as shown in Figure 6. The guide member I! is maintained against rotation by a pin 15 mounted in the boss 69 and extending upwardly through a slot provided in the member 13; The can 14 extends some distance above the boss 69 and has the upper end thereof provided with a stufllng box 11 through which the valve stem I2 extends.

The upper face of the guide member I3 .is provided with a'pair of upwardly extending diametrlcally opposed cam members or teeth 19 as shown more clearly" in F1gurev'7 and which are adapted to be engaged by a pairof correspondingly constructed cam, faces or teeth 86 provided on a cam collar 8| secured to the valve stem 12 adjacent the teeth 19 so that whenfthe valve 68 engages the valve seat 66 the teeth 86 will register in the spaces between the teeth 19. It will now be observed that the valve-68 may be raised from the valve seat 66 by rotating the valve stem 12 in either direction for bringing the cam teeth 86 into engagement with the teeth 19 and thereby produce an upward axial movement of the valve stemand valve disk.

In order that this rotary movement of the valve stem may be readily accomplished, the upper end thereof has secured thereto one end of a radially extending arm 64 which has secured to the underside thereof a spring 86. This spring 85 extends downwardly in a vertical plane from the arm 94 when the cam teeth 88 are in a position intermediate the cam teeth "I9 and the disk valve 66 is in engagement with the seat 66 and has the lower end thereofconnected with thecase of the valve 65 as shown in Figure 5. It will thus be seen that when the arm 84 is rocked in either direction for lifting the disk valve 68 from the seat 66 the spring 65 will be tensioned thereby and as soon as the arm 84 is -va1ve 68 t0 the closed position in engagement with the seat 66. The valve 66 as shown more 'clearly'in Figure 1 is secured to one side of the vat 5 with the arm 84 thereof extending over the adjacent guide tracks i6 opposite the arm l6 for the valve l9, in the path of movement of a tray l5 moving along said track.

- In operation the cleansing agent as an alkali cleaning material is placed in the supply tank 25 in a liquid state or is mixed with a liquid as water so as to be in a liquid state and will obviously pass from the tank to the metering valve 31. This valve is maintained in a partial open position by the manipulation of the valve stem 42 depending upon the degree of discharge of the cleansing agent which is wished to be maintained. The cleansing agent passes from the metering valve 31 through the conduit 62 to the operating valve 65. This valve 65 is opened by the engagement of a tray 15 with the arm 84 each time a tray is moved into the. rinsing chamber 3 and in the arrangement shown in the drawing this valve 65 will be opened simultaneously with the opening of the control valve l9 so that as washing fluid is supplied to the tank 5 from .the spray nozzle 9 the cleansing agent will be supplied to the washing fluid in the vat 5. As soon as the tray in the rinsing chamber is moved outwardly therefrom beyond the valve arms l9 and 84 the supply of fresh washing fluid and cleansing agent to the vat 5 will be discontinued.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a simple, economically constructed mechanism whereby-a cleansing agent may be automatically supplied to ,a washing fluid simultaneously with used.

so i

Although I have shown the valves l9 and 65 Q for. controlling the supply of rising water and the cleansing agent respectively to the vat 5 mounted within the rinsing chamber 3 and as being manually manipulated simultaneously in this instance through the medium of the tray l5, it is to be understood that one or both of these valves may be mounted at any other convenient position either inside or outside of the rinsing chamber or of the case I and that they may be manually operated'simultaneously for adding a fresh supply of water and a cleansing agent to washing machine having a vat for I washing fluid, a casing arranged over said vat I forming a washing chamber in communication therewith, track means for trays for the articles to be cleansed connected with the casing to extend through'the chamber over said vat and a washing apparatus connected with the casing for subjecting the articles in the trays to the action of the fluid in said vat to wash said articles, said washing machine beingcharacterized by a rinsing apparatus connected with the casing in spaced relation to the washing apparatus for sprinkling the articles with freshwater and adding said water to the contents of the vat, said rinsing apparatus including a spray nozzle mounted in said chamber and a valve mounted adjacent the track, a supply tank for a'cleansing solution, a conduit connecting the tank with the vat, an operating valve in said conduit positioned adjacent the track independently of the first mentioned valve, separate operating means for each valve, each of said operating means being arranged to extend into the path of a tray'in its movement along said track' to be directly en'- gagedby said tray for'simultaneously opening said valves and maintaining the valves in the open position during the passage of the tray beneath the spray nozzle, and a metering device for the cleansing solution mounted in said conduit.

2.4 in a dish washing machine having a vat for washing fluid, a casingarranged over said vat forming a washing, chamber in communication therewith, track means for trays for the articles to be cleansed connected with the casing to extend through the chamber over said vat and a I washing apparatus connected with the casing for subjecting the articles in the trays to the action of the fluid in said vat to wash said articles, said washing machine being characterized by a rinsing apparatus connected with the casing in spaced relation to the washing apparatus for sprinkling the articles with fresh water and adding said water to the contents of the vat, said rinsing apparatus including a spray nozzle mounted in said chamber and a valve mounted adjacent the track, a supply tank for a cleansing solution, a conduit connecting the tank with the vat, an operating valve in said conduit positioned adjacent the track independently or the first mentioned valve, separate operating means for each valve, each of said operating means being arranged to extend into the path of a tray in its movement along said track to be directly engaged by said tray for simultaneously opening said valves andmaintaining the valves in the open position during the passage of the tray beneath the spray nozzle, and a metering device for the cleansing solution mounted in said c'ondult,'ineluding a body member having a valve seat, a valve movable toward and from said seat, and

operating means connected with the valve whereadjusted.

by said valve may be manually R. WALKER. 

